


What If Dreams Do Come True?

by marshmellow_sirel



Category: LazyTown
Genre: Angst, Glanni isn't nice, I Tried, M/M, Slow Burn, father/son problems are getting worse in the Rotten family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-13
Updated: 2017-01-15
Packaged: 2018-09-17 04:30:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,894
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9304244
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/marshmellow_sirel/pseuds/marshmellow_sirel
Summary: Robbie has a bad dream but he knows it was more than that, especially when he gets a call from his father. Will Sportacus trust him, just this once?





	1. Worst Nightmare

Alone in the Lazy Town square, beneath the first sportscandy tree, stood Sportacus and a stranger from Mayhem Town, who tucked a small bundle of bills into his raspberry pink jacket. “An apology, Mr. Hero,” said the stranger. Long slender fingers with painted raspberry pink nails presented an apple to Sportacus. “For dragging you out here,” said Glanni Glæpur with a smile.

  
Glanni watched with his hands on the top of his cane as Sportacus took a large bite and fell to the ground in a sugar meltdown. The sugar apple rolled out of Sportacus’s hand and its caramel core oozed on the grass. He chuckled, “Heroes. So trusting,” He twirled his cane and walked around the fallen hero. “So,” Glanni set a leather boot heel in Sportacus’s shoulder and rolled him flat onto his back, “Trusting.” The emblem flashed red. Glanni set his boot heel onto the emblem in the center of Sportacus’s chest, “That’s where trust gets you in this world, hero.” He ground the heel into the emblem, “A painful death.”

  
Fire coursed through his body but Robbie pressed on as fast as he could move. A fractured leg, two broken ribs, and tears ran down his face. All thanks to his no good father, Glanni, but Robbie refused to give up. He gave up too often in his life. No more. Robbie refused to allow Glanni to destroy everything he held dear just for some petty revenge. He hopped the low wall around Lazy Town and groaned in pain. He held his side and pressed on, slower than before, there was no element of surprise. Glanni looked up and saw his son and smiled which made Robbie stop in his tracks. His blood ran cold. He hated to see his father smile.

  
“My boy,” said Glanni with a laugh. “How good of you to join us on this momentous occasion,” he twirled his cane and pointed the end at Robbie across the track. “You are the witness to the cleansing of the Glæpur name, Robbie.” Glanni raised his boot and slammed the heel into center of the number ten emblem. He chuckled when Sportacus screamed in pain and tried to fight back; Glanni forced his cane into Sportacus’s shoulder to pin him to the ground. “Today, we make history,” Glanni said and stomped down on the emblem again.

  
Robbie ran, pain be damned, he shouted at his father to stop when he hurtled the wall around the town square. He landed on his fractured leg and his cries of mercy were cut short by his own scream of pain. He heard bone scrape and splinter, his legs gave out from beneath him, and he crumpled to the ground. Deep breaths, Robbie told himself, and he stood tall against the wall. He puffed out his chest, “Don’t, don’t do this. It won’t solve anything.” The edges of his vision grew dark and he told himself, again, deep breaths. He tried to walk but his legs gave out beneath him and he collapsed to the ground. “Father,” He dug his fingers into the dirt and pulled himself forward. “I love him, please.”

  
Everything stopped, Glanni looked to Robbie on the ground, “I’m doing this for us, Robbie, for you. I putting an end to this.” He turned back to Sportacus and ground his heel into the emblem hard enough for it to dig into Sportacus’s chest. The panels of the emblem fell away under his boot heel and revealed the crystal to Glanni. The red flashes illuminated Sportacus’s face and Glanni’s smile.

  
Robbie was close, and he could stop him. He could. Sportacus’s head rolled and Robbie saw those beautiful baby blue eyes look at him. What was that look, Robbie wondered, was it love? Betrayal?

  
“Today,” Glanni raised his boot, “We are number one.”

  
Robbie stretched out his hand, “No—“

  
The boot heel slammed into the crystal and broke it in half. Glanni stepped away and admired his work with both of his hands on the top of his cane. Sportacus convulsed and his back arched off the ground.

  
“No, no, no,” said Robbie as he crawled over to Sportacus and pulled him into his lap. He pulled the two halves of the crystal out of it’s compartment and held them in his fist. “I can fix this,” he said to Sportacus, “You’re going to be okay.” He concentrated all the energy into the crystal. Tears rolled down his cheeks and landed on Sportacus’s face. “I will fix this,” he held Sportacus close, tucked the sports elf under his chin, held him tightly against his hurt ribs. The pain in his side centered him. Focus, he told himself, focus. He couldn’t breathe. Light flashed in his closed fist. Bright. Brighter. Fire burned his lungs. The light faltered. Robbie gasped for breath, “No, no, no,” said Robbie and he held Sportacus closer, “I can do this, I will do this, Sportakook. I will.” The crystal flashed weakly in his fist. “I’ll fix this.”

  
“Robbie,” said Sportacus through ragged breaths. Robbie leaned down to hear him, “It’s okay.” He looked up at Robbie and smiled a smile that somehow managed to reach those baby blue eyes. “Its,” his head slumped against Robbie’s chest, “Okay.”

  
Shimmering dust fell through Robbie’s fingers and blew away in the breeze; illuminated by the evening sunlight.The crystal had disintegrated in his hand. “Sportaflop?” He patted Sportacus on the cheek. “Sportacus?” Robbie shook him by the front of his vest but he received no response. Robbie looked deep into those beautiful blue eyes of his and knew Sportacus was gone. He wrapped his arms around Sportacus’s body and Robbie buried his face into the crook of Sportacus’s neck. He wailed. Robbie had failed.

  
“It’s for the best,” said Glanni and poked his son in the shoulder with his cane. “A villain should never mingle with heroes.” He tucked his cane under his arm and readjusted his cuffs when Robbie looked up. “What a mess,” said Glanni under his breath as he looked at his son. Mascara and eye shadow smeared across Robbie’s face and on the hero’s body. Robbie opened his mouth to speak but Glanni held up his hand to stop him. He spoke for Robbie, “Don’t give me that ‘he was different,’ talk. What do you even know? You’ve been sheltered.” He paced around Robbie, “Afraid to embrace your true potential for villainy. Well, that changes today, Robbie. That changes today.”

  
A whistle shrieked overhead, they both looked up to see Sportacus’s airship listing over Lazy Town. It careened and started to fall. A shadow loomed overhead as it flew past. They could hear distress beeps as it sailed over town, scraped a roof top, and toppled the flag pole before it crashed just outside of town.

  
Robbie buried his face in Sportacus’s shoulder and covered their heads with his arm to protect them from the crashing airship. Dirt flew, glass shattered, and metal broke as the airship buried its nose in the grass. They waited with baited breath to see if it was over, Robbie looked up, just before the backup energy source blew. Robbie ducked at the roar and covered Sportacus as best as he could but Glanni held his arms wide and laughed.

  
“We did it, Robbie. You did it,” said Glanni as he held his arms wide as if to embrace the flaming wreckage of Sportacus’s airship. “The Glæpur name is finally cleansed.” He spun around and used his cane to lift Robbie’s chin, “We are number one, Robbie. We are number one.” He held up the oozing caramel sugar apple and took a large bite. The apple Robbie's machine, Robbie's creation, had made. Glanni clapped Robbie on the shoulder. "Because of you, we are finally number one." He began to sing over the sound of the fire of the airship.

Robbie held Sportacus's body tightly, no matter how much his chest cried out against it, and wailed. The smoke of the airship wafted over the town and the dust of Sportacus's crystal lingered on the ground.


	2. Trust

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sportacus tries to help Robbie and Robbie asks him an important question

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I realized this is better off as its own chapter. Next one will be longer.  
> EDIT: I decided to add onto this chapter. Apologies for the confusion.

Alerted by his crystal, Sportacus rushed to Robbie’s bunker. The bunker was dark, pin lights of machines blinked in a rainbow of colors, and he almost didn’t see Robbie in his furry orange chair. “Robbie,” said Sportacus softly as he knelt in front the chair, “Its okay, Robbie.” He hesitated but he took one of Robbie’s hands between his own, he tried to soothe Robbie but was afraid he might startle him. “It’s just a dream.” His crystal vibrated against his heart. He shushed Robbie and the crystal, hoping to try and soothe them both. Robbie wailed, his cries echoed off the metal walls of the bunker and made Sportacus flinch. Sportacus let go of Robbie’s hand, and scratched his head through his hat. Against his better judgment, he sat on the armrest of the orange recliner and pulled Robbie into an awkward embrace. “It’s okay, Robbie,” Sportacus whispered into Robbie’s ear. “It’s only a dream, Robbie. You’re in your bunker. You’re safe. You’re okay.”

Robbie wrapped his arms around Sportacus and pulled him into his lap. If it helps Robbie, Sportacus thought, okay. He allowed Robbie to use him like a big teddy bear. Robbie squeezed Sportacus tight, which worried Sportacus that his crystal would hurt Robbie, but Robbie buried his face in Sportacus’s neck. Sportacus rubbed Robbie’s back, “It’s okay, Robbie.” He felt the crystal calm and Robbie’s breathing slow. He rubbed Robbie’s back, “You’re okay, Robbie. You’re safe. Everything will be all right.”

The phone rang. 

The sound of metal on metal shattered the tentative peace in the bunker to make both Sportacus and Robbie jump out of the chair. Sportacus slid to the ground while Robbie snapped his head from side to side to find the noise. His eyes, in the dim light, only focused on the orange phone and didn’t notice the hero at his feet. He picked up the receiver, “Hello?”

All the blood drained from his face as he listened to the voice on the other end. A moment later, Robbie hung up the phone and he began to breathe again. When did he hold his breath? “Oh no,” said Robbie. He faced forward in his chair and noticed Sportacus in front of the chair on one knee. Robbie gripped the armrests, “Sportacus?”

The hero nodded, “You were having a nightmare, Robbie, my crystal alerted me—“  
Robbie cut him off when he fell out of his chair and embraced Sportacus. “You’re okay,” he said through new found tears. He pushed Sportacus back and looked into the hero’s face, those blue eyes, and patted the emblem that housed the Sportacus’s crystal. “You’re safe,” said Robbie with a smile and held Sportacus’s face with one hand.

Sportacus patted Robbie on the shoulder, “Of course I am, Robbie, why wouldn’t I be?”  
The smile fell from Robbie’s face, he glanced at the phone and then looked at Sportacus. He gripped Sportacus’s shoulders tight, “You need to leave town.” He held Sportacus’s face with both hands and spoke over his rejection. “No, no, no, I don’t care. Tell them you need to get water. Tell them you received an urgent message. Tell them anything. Just leave for a little while. For your own good.”

Sportacus pulled Robbie’s hands away and held them in his own, “Robbie. Nightmares are terrible but it was only a dream. I’m not abandoning this town nor its citizens.”  
Robbie pulled his hands out of Sportacus’s grasp and pushed the hero in the chest, the force of which only caused Robbie to fall backwards into the foot of the chair. He snapped his arms and the sleeves of his robes whipped through the air. He stood up and stomped his slippered foot, “No, you blue elf. It was a vision of the future. An omen of doom and death. Not a dream.” He turned away from Sportacus and wiped his face on his sleeve.

Sportacus stood with his fists on his hips in that heroic pose of his, “Whatever it is, Robbie, I’m ready. I can handle it.”

“No,” Robbie went to a work bench and picked through the miscellaneous objects. “You can’t handle it.” He couldn’t’ find what he needed and he growled and swept everything off the table. Metal clashed against the floor, glass cracked, and nuts and bolts rolled across the bunker. He growled, like his father, but he needed to be better than his father. He leaned against the workbench with his head down.

“Robbie,” said Sportacus. “I will not abandon Lazy Town nor its citizens. Any of them.” He placed a firm hand on Robbie’s shoulder, “Tell me, what’s happening?”

Robbie saw something shimmer in the dim light of the bunker out of the corner of his eye. He felt a plan form. He sighed, Sportacus was stubborn, naïve, but he was also kind. He made everyone believe that they were his friend. That Robbie was his friend and he once said that friends help friends. He took a deep breath and asked Sportacus, “Do you trust me?”

An hour later, Sportacus’s crystal went off and he gave left Robbie alone in the bunker so he sat in his chair to think and waited for the inevitable. Three sharp knocks on the hatch to the silo disturbed Robbie from his thoughts. He thought if he held his breath and didn’t make a sound, whomever knocked would go away and not bother him again. It was a thought he had often in Lazy Town. The hinges creaked open and the sound of feet climbing down the ladder was unmistakable.

“Robbie,” Glanni sighed as he tucked his cane under his arm to readjust his cufflink. “I raised you better than this.” Satisfied with the cuff links he walked across the bunker, “Twenty feet underground in a dump?” You deserve better than this,” he walked past Robbie in the orange chair. “The Glæpur blood in your veins deserve better than this, Robbie.” He stopped at Robbie’s work bench and eyed one of the machines, the Candy Faker Maker 3000 to be specific. “However, I suppose you’ve made due.”

Robbie fidgeted with a knot in the fur on the arm rest; he wanted to ask so many questions like why are you here, why can’t you just leave and never speak to me again, are you really going to do it? He chose just one, “What are your plans, father?”

Three taps of the cane on the metal floor and Glanni frowned, “I’ve asked you not to call me that, but I will answer your question with one of my own: Why are you number ten?”

“Um,” Robbie cleared his throat, “I don’t know what you mean. I am number one!” He got up from the chair and readjusted his waistcoat. “The citizens of Lazy Town listen to what I have to say, Glanni, and they do as I say.”

“Indeed, Robbie,” said Glanni as he poured two cups of granulated sugar into the Candy Faker Maker 3000. “I suppose that’s why,” he struggled to turn the crank once. “The town is enthralled with that,” another, weaker, turn of the crank. “Numbered buffoon they call a hero?” Glanni struggled to complete the last crank of the machine but with a grol, he succeeded and was rewarded with a large, red, candy apple. He held it up for Robbie to see, the light of the bunker shined off his raspberry pink nail polish. “You let that elf scum walk all over you when you have all the tools to defeat him right here.”

“I don’t know what you mean.”

“It’s simple.” Glanni tossed the candy apple into the air and caught it. “The numbered heroes are quite easy to defeat. If you cared to even try, Robbie.” He smirked and walked over to where Robbie stood, who seemed to shrink in his father’s presence, and waved the apple in front of his face. “The sport elves are naïve, trusting, and stupid above all.” He waved the apple and watched Robbie’s eyes follow it from side to side. “Just cause enough trouble to make their blasted crystal goes off, they swoop in to save the day, and then reward them with an apple. It’s just simple enough to work, Robbie. I’m surprised you’ve never figured this out for yourself.”

Robbie ducked away from his father and cleared his throat, “I’ll have you know that I have done that exact scheme but—“

“But what, Robbie?” Glanni laid a hand on Robbie’s shoulder and leaned into his face. “Why is there always a ‘but’, with you?”

“B-but the children always got in the way,” said Robbie and pulled away from his father’s touch. “They would come and save their precious Sportaflop.” He huffed and crossed his arms. “It’s because they aren’t lazy any more. Otherwise I would be able to get rid of Sportakook once and for all.” Robbie walked away from Glanni and held his hand to his brow, he hoped his performance was adequate.

Three taps of the cane and a chuckle, “If that’s all it takes, dear boy, leave that to me,” said Glanni. His boots clacked on rungs of the ladder as he climbed out of the bunker. “We’ll be number one, yet, Robbie my boy,” Glanni’s voice echoed around the bunker as he called down the silo to the bunker. “We’ll be number one,” he cackled.

The hatch slammed shut and left Robbie Rotten alone in the bunker, alone with the voice of Glanni Glæpur echoing around his home and in his head. It was worse than he could’ve thought. He bit his fist, and looked around the bunker for something, anything. The pile of refuse was still on the ground by his work bench. His jaw ached and his fist throbbed but he bit down harder on his fist. He felt like he should break the skin any moment but he didn’t care because the pain centered him. The anxiety glued him to the spot. He hoped that Sportacus trusted him. He hoped that everything was not as he dreamt it.


	3. Confrontation and Consequences

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Glanni and Robbie have a father and son talk. It doesn't go well.

It was late afternoon the next day and Robbie paced around the bunker. He heard not a peep from any of the citizens for hours, especially the children. He looked out the periscope for the umpteenth time and searched for high and low for any signs of anyone. Finally, he found the children in the park.

Pinkie laid on the bench with rashes on her arms. Candy Boy sat beside her and looked as if he might vomit at any moment. Stinky sat in his little yellow car, his bowtie undone, and looked pale. Loud Girl, her hair in one ponytail instead of her usual three, leaned against the wall and Robbie saw boils on her face. He swiveled the periscope and saw Gizmo on the ground on his side facing the bench. He saw this before, poison on the vegetable gardens. A scheme Glanni has tired many times before but with varying success, usually as a quick rich scheme, and Robbie remembers being run out of at least one town as a child alongside his father because of it.

Robbie hurried past his Automated Wardrobe 3000 to the speakers, already set at nine, and cranked it up to twelve. He strained his ears to hear them, they moaned and spoke at nearly a whisper, but could hear it. A wave of relief washed over him and he exhaled the breath he didn’t realize he was holding. Never had the sound of silence worried him more.

A creak of the hatch’s hinges echoed down the silo to announce Glanni’s arrival. “What do you think? No nosy brats to interfere with my—our plans.” He placed both of his hands on top of his cane, tapped it three times, and chuckled. “The hero can’t do anything but, you know who can? Rikki Riki,” Glanni held his arms out wide to present himself. “He is a rich man who gives medicine to the people and save the day,” he chuckled and produced the sugar apple as if out of thin air. “And present Mr. Hero this apple, as a reward for all of his hard work. Simple, Robbie.” The apple disappeared again with a motion of his hand, “The hero is helpless, the townspeople useless, and then we can end this.”

“No,” said Robbie. His hands balled into fists at his sides, a red bite mark stood out against his pale skin.

Glanni arched an eyebrow, “No?”

Robbie puffed out his chest, “No. You’ve gone too far. You’ve been going too far for a long time.” 

Glanni twirled his cane from hand to hand, “You think so?” Twirled the cane behind his back and laughed as he walked closer to Robbie on the raised platform. “You really think so, do you, my boy?”

Robbie tried to keep his composure but he knew what was coming next.

The sound of the cane whipped through the air and hit Robbie in the stomach hard enough to knock the air out of him and double him over. “You think I’m going to let those Elvish fucks ruin my criminal name any longer?” He kicked Robbie in the ribs, “Let you ruin my name any longer?” Another kick in the ribs, Robbie felt his ribs crack and he thought that maybe they would disintegrate. “No, I’m through playing nice Mr. Criminal. It’s going to be over today.” A final kick to the ribs and Robbie’s lung was on fire. “I’ve gone away with Eight and Nine, Robbie, I will do away with Ten.” He walked over Robbie on the ground and peered into the periscope. “Ah, perfect. He should be along any moment now.”

“No,” Robbie said and pushed himself to his knees. “No. I can’t let you do this, father. I won’t let you hurt these children any further.” Each breath fanned the fire in his lungs but he pushed himself to his feet regardless. Robbie stood tall in front of his father. “I won’t let you kill him.”

Glanni rolled his eyes as he pushed the periscope up, “You act as if you like your hero. You, a villain by blood and rite, Robbie,” He looked at Robbie but Robbie avoided his eyes. “No,” said Glanni and he threw down his cane and it clattered against the metal ground. He grabbed Robbie by his waistcoat and pulled him close. “You listen to me, son, heroes will use you. Mistreat you. Make you trust them and then betray you at the last moment. They will abandon you.”

Robbie never his father’s face twisted up into that kind of emotion before, tears welled up in his eyes and an ugly shade of red colored his cheeks that contrasted with his pink eye shadow. “H-he’s different than the others," Robbie said.

Glanni shook him by the waistcoat, the force of which caused tears to run down Glanni's cheeks,“What?”

“He’s different than the other heroes,” Robbie shouted. 

More tears ran down Glanni’s cheeks and made his mascara run. He took no notice of this and laughed, “Oh, really,” he said in a deliriously sweet tone. “Ten is different than whom, Robbie? Álfur, who berated and humliated us? Is he different than the townsfolk of Bully Ville who destroyed our lives and left us to die? Is he different than Íþróttaálfurinn who chased us through the streets of Mayhem Town like rats?” He cried freely now, and shook Robbie by the waistcoat vigorously until Robbie’s head swayed like a ragdoll. He tossed Robbie to the ground like a ragdoll, "I thought Íþróttaálfurinn was different, too, Robbie. He wasn’t.”

A makeup bag appeared in Glanni’s hand as he turned away from Robbie. A compact mirror clicked open and he used a monogrammed handkerchief to wipe away tear streaks. “Robbie,” Glanni said as he reapplied mascara, “Villains like us don’t get anything unless we take it for ourselves.”

Robbie struggled but, again, stood up against his father. “No, Glanni,” Robbie said, his voice quivered with fragile confidence. The compact mirror clicked close and Robbie almost lost his nerve, but he strove forward. “I’m not you. Sportacus is not Íþróttaálfurinn. I am Robbie Rotten. I am not a Glæpur. I will only ask you once, please leave town and never return.”

The growl rolling up from Glanni’s throat echoed through the bunker to make Robbie flinch. “You really are on the side of the hero, aren’t you?” Glanni tucked away the makeup bag and the handkerchief into his coat. “So be it,” he pulled back his fist, spun on his heel, and punched Robbie in the face.

The force of Glanni’s punch set Robbie backwards onto the grated platform. He clutched his face blood gushed from his nose and ran down the front of his suit. He curled into the fetal position.

“Just know,” Glanni said and snapped his fingers to make his cane instantaneously appear in his hand. He pressed the cane tip into Robbie’s injured side, “If you weren’t my son you would be dead.” He pushed the tip of the cane into Robbie’s shoulder and rolled him onto this back. “However,” he placed the tip of the cane on Robbie’s throat. “Since you say you’re not a Glæpur…”

“Kids,” Sportacus’s voice boomed through the bunker from the speaker system, as he arrived the park above ground. “Are you okay? What happened?”

“I do believe that’s my cue,” said Glanni. He pulled the cane away from Robbie’s throat but placed a boot on his leg. “I would stay here if I were you, Rotten.” He stomped down on Robbie's leg, hard enough to fracture it. Glanni snapped his fingers and disappeared in a cloud of mist. The hatch of the silo slammed shut.

Robbie screamed and his screams echoed around the bunker while blood and tears dripped through the grate onto the metal floor below. He struggled to his feet, too weak to teleport, he had to walk. Measured breaths, Robbie said, and he climbed the silo ladder.

Voices echoed around through the bunker, Sportacus said, “Who are you?”

Halfway up the ladder, Robbie heard Glanni’s laughter echo through the bunker. “Hello, I am Rikki Riki, an entrepreneur from Mayhem Town. I have heard word of the illness spreading through Lazy Town and I have just the thing. Children, don’t worry, I have a cure for what ails you,” Glanni’s voice echoed through the bunker. “Just a spoonful of this medicine and you’ll be right as rain the next morning. Just one dollar, each.”  
The hatch almost fell on his fingers but Robbie managed to open the silo.

Robbie didn’t have much time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Álfur is the name I chose for Number 8 (Sportacus from Áfram Latibaer). I'm trying to divide up the last part so it won't be 4k, so look forward to that.


	4. Do You Trust Me?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Glanni executes his plans but will Sportacus trust Robbie?

The children were sent home, after they each gave Glanni a dollar for their medicine, and proceeded to go bed. Robbie made a mental note that if he lived he would give the children the antidote to the poison, he kept several in stock after the incident in Liarville. He’ll be damned if he lets the past repeat itself, and for Glanni to destroy everything he cared for. Again. He stumbled through the hidden door in the billboard and saw Sportacus walk with Glanni to the square to stand beneath the first sportscandy tree.

Long slender fingers with painted raspberry pink nails presented the sugar apple to Sportacus.

Robbie paused at the wall bordering around town and watched. He hoped that his dreams were false. Sometimes they were, after all, nothing is absolute.

Sportacus fainted, the sugar apple rolled out of his hand and the caramel core oozed out onto the grass. The cold harsh reality of the terribleness of the world settled onto Robbie’s shoulders. Nothing is absolute, he thought. Everything is awful Robbie watched as Glanni rolled Sportacus onto his back and saw the crystal flash red. Sportacus didn’t believe him. Sportacus didn’t trust him. Robbie had just helped his father kill Sportacus. Black crept into the edges of Robbie’s vision. 

Fire coursed through his body and in his heart. No, he thought, as blood from his nose dried on his face and tears leaked from his eyes; he couldn’t give up. Not again. Not now. He heard Glanni call Sportacus naïve and trusting, and it was true. Sportacus was a trusting soul and that’s what drew Robbie to him, he wanted to break Sportacus’s trust but he couldn’t. Sportacus was too strong and too kind. Everyone was a friend to Sportacus and now it was the time to prove it.

Glanni set his boot heel onto the emblem on Sportacus’s chest and chuckled.

“No,” shouted Robbie. This gave Glanni pause and Robbie took that moment to hop the low wall boarding around Lazy Town. He stumbled, but kept on his feet, “I won’t let you do this. Not for some petty revenge, father.” He fought the urge to pass out from the pain. He looked up and saw Glanni smile. He hated to see his father smile.

“My boy,” said Glanni with a chuckle. “You know how I’ve told you not to call me that in public.” He ground his boot heel into the emblem. He sighed, “Against my advice, you’ve decided to join us today. Ah, well, so be it.” He held his arms out wide, “It is a momentous day.” He twirled his cane, cackled, as he raised his foot up. “Today, I cleanse the Glæpur name.” Glanni stomped on the emblem.

Sportacus groaned and grasped at the leather of Glanni’s boot to try and pull him off but Glanni shook him off easily. His eyes focused on the sportscandy that hung from the tree branches. Just above his head, but so far away.

“Today, we make history my boy,” Glanni said and stomped down on the emblem again.  
Robbie summoned all his energy and ran, pain be damned. Another low wall separated him and Sportacus and he hurtled it but landed on his fractured leg and he heard the bone splinter. He fell to the ground and darkness crowded his vision. The warm embrace of unconsciousness beckoned him. He clawed his way to Sportacus and Glanni. “I love him, father, please. Don’t do this.”

Sportacus’s head rolled to look at Robbie, tears leaked out of those beautiful blue eyes. A smile pulled at his at the corner of his lips.

A growl escaped Glanni’s throat, “Love. What a useless concept.” He ground his boot heel into the emblem. “Villains aren’t meant to love. And to love a hero? I’m doing this for your own good, Robbie. He would’ve only hurt you in the end. It’s what you deserve.” The panels of the emblem fell away under Glanni’s heel, flashes of red illuminated Sportacus’s face, and Glanni’s smile. He glanced over at Robbie, “Today,” Glanni raised his boot, “We are number one.”

“No—“

Glanni’s heel slammed into the crystal and broke it in half before Robbie could reach him. Glanni stepped away and admired his work. Both hands on his cane he watched as Sportacus lie still beneath the sportscandy tree.

Robbie failed. He scrambled over to Sportacus, blackness and tears swam in his vision but he didn’t care. He pulled Sportacus into his lap and held his hand over the emblem that held the broken crystal. “Why? Why didn’t you listen to me? Why didn’t you trust me?” Tears streamed down his cheeks, mixed with blood and mascara, and landed on Sportacus’s face. “I can’t fix this. I can’t fix this.” He sobbed and pulled Sportacus close. Robbie buried his face into Sportacus’s shoulder and cried. The pressure against his cracked ribs hurt and cut his breath short. He didn’t’ care. Glanni was right, he did deserve this. He deserved the pain. He deserved all of this.

“It’s for the best,” said Glanni. “A villain should never mingle with heroes. Like him.” Robbie looked up, his mascara and eye shadow smeared across his face and opened his mouth to speak but Glanni spoke for him. “Don’t give me that, he was different, talk. It’s all just lies you’ve been telling yourself.” He kicked the sugar apple across the grass and it left a trail of caramel behind. He walked to the wall with his back to Robbie.

“Robbie,” said Sportacus through ragged breaths. Robbie leaned down to hear him, “It’s okay.” He looked at Robbie and smiled.

Robbie buried his face in the crook of Sportacus’s neck and cried. He waited. He waited for the sound of Sportacus’s breathing to stop. He waited for the crystal to fragment and blow away on the wind. He waited for the sound of Sportacus’s airship to whistle through the evening air and crash into the forest. The fires would illuminate Glanni with his arms outstretched, and finally they would be number one.

“Robbie,” Sportacus said and pushed Robbie gently away, “I do trust you.” He unhooked the emblem from his vest with a shaking hand and held it up to Robbie. A small light flashed inside the compartment but not from crystal, the crystal didn’t shine like it should, it was the fake Robbie gave him. “I did believe you. I—“ He struggled to hold his head up. “I know a thing or two about machines, too, I learned it from you. I rigged something up to be more realistic.” He chuckled. “The real crystal is safe.”

Tears flowed anew and Robbie buried his face in Sportacus’s shoulder. The pain in his side, his leg, and his nose felt worth it, just for this moment. He glanced up and saw a single, shiny, apple hanging from the closest tree branch. He focused on it and if he could just get it than everything would be fine. He snapped his fingers and the stem of the apple broke. It fell straight down and Sportacus caught it. He never missed.

Distracted and distraught, Glanni tapped his cane three times on the ground which preceded a low growl from his throat. “I assumed it would be more dramatic, what with this elf being more modern than the others,” said Glanni. “You should’ve seen how that hot air balloon burned in the dawn light.” He sighed and watched the sky. “Ten’s airship crashing into the earth would be such a beautiful sight,” he turned to Robbie. “Don’t you think—“

Sportacus stood tall and he tossed aside the imposter emblem. His vest open and white shirt smeared with Robbie’s blood, tears, and makeup made him appear more intimidating. “I’m going to take you in, hand you over to the authorities, and you will pay for your crimes.”

Glanni backed away from Sportacus with a chuckle, “Catch me first, you pointed eared freak.” He had his back against the wall that surrounded the square and snapped his fingers at the same moment Sportacus lunged. Tendrils of mist trailed through Sportacus’s fingers.

Robbie fell back as he heard Sportacus swear in Elvish and punch the wall where Glanni stood a moment earlier. Robbie’s eyelids felt heavy he laughed breathlessly, “I’m number one…”

He shut his eyes and let the warm, comforting, darkness wrap around him like a blanket. The feel of his chair greeted him when his eyes fluttered open again. He wondered if it was all just a dream (or a dream with in a dream, to be specific) but an all body encompassing soreness spoke otherwise. He looked down and saw dried blood down the front of his suit, he moaned, thinking he looked a mess. He snapped his fingers and cleaned himself up. However, his moaning and groaning drew Sportacus from beside the Automated Wardrobe 3000 behind Robbie’s chair.

“Robbie,” said Sportacus who placed a gentle hand on Robbie’s shoulder. “Sit back, your body went through a lot yesterday and now it needs rest to heal, okay?” He moved around to the front of the chair so he and Robbie could be face to face. His hat and vest were off and his goggles were around his neck. He seemed underdressed. Sportacus put his fists on his hips, “I never thought I would be telling you to be lazy, Robbie,” he chuckled. “If you need anything, just let me know, and I’ll get it for you.” He walked past the chair and pulled his hat and vest off the railing behind the chair. “I wondered where my spare uniform went, Robbie,” he swept back his hair and put on his hat. “Thanks for keeping it safe.” He fixed the emblem, the real emblem, onto his vest. “I would hate to have the children worry.” He pulled the goggles back to their usual place on top of his head.

The lingering warm haze of sleep seeped out of his body and was replaced with a cold clamminess. “The children,” said Robbie as he shot up in the chair and immediately regretted it. “Are they okay?” He asked through a groan.

Sportacus held out his hands, as if to either catch or stop Robbie from moving. When Robbie settled down, he chuckled again before he said, “You really don’t remember, do you?” After Robbie shook his head no, he continued, “You told me—no demanded—I take this vial and give one drop to each of the citizens as medicine.” He walked across the bunker and held up a small pink vial for Robbie to see, “Said that it would cure everything. Said that you refuse to it to happen again,” his brows furrowed and he placed the vial back on the table.

“You,” said Robbie but the words caught in his throat. He cleared his throat to try and shake it loose, “You trusted me?”

Sportacus sat on the armrest of the orange recliner, “Of course, Robbie.” He smiled down at Robbie, “You asked me to trust you and I trust my friends. Besides, I knew you wouldn’t hurt the children.”

Robbie inched away from the invading Sportacus but not too far. He liked the warmth. “Why would I hurt them, Sportaflop, I just want you to leave.” He crossed his arms and turned away from Sportacus and coughed, as if he could make the blush disappear from his cheeks. He felt ten pounds lighter whenever Sportacus smiled at him. He hated it.

“I know, Robbie,” Sportacus said gently and turned Robbie’s head to face him. “Maybe next time,” he stroked Robbie’s jaw line with his thumb and leaned in, “After you’ve healed up, of course.” They kissed.

Soft lips, and a sweet smell, ironic, thought Robbie, for a man who refused to enjoy the occasional sweet. He ran his hand up Sportacus’s neck with his right hand, mirroring Sportacus’s actions from before, stroked Sportacus’s jaw with his thumb. The kiss only lasted a moment, but Robbie broke away, unable to breathe. He clutched his side, and tried to measure his breathing.

The sound of the hatch opening above ground distracted them and they both looked up at the ceiling. A moment later five children came down the ladder. The children chatted and shouted at each other to speed up, slow down, or be careful. They were all giggles and curious glances around Robbie’s lair. All ready standing, Sportacus put his hands on his hips and a serious look on his face, “Kids, you know that Robbie needs his rest and I know I told you that we could all visit him together later.”

The children stayed close to the entrance silo but Stephanie spoke up, “We know, Sportacus, but we wanted to thank Robbie for the medicine. We all feel better. Bessie made a cake, too, and we all knew he likes cake so we wanted to give it to him as soon as possible.”

“Yeah,” and Ziggy held out a card, “And I made a get well card that we all signed and—“

“Excuse me,” said Stingy, “But I made that card, it is mine.”

“We all signed it,” Continued Ziggy.

Sportacus smiled and took the card from Ziggy and passed it along to Robbie who seemed perplexed, at best, by the construction paper card signed in crayon. “This was a very nice thing to do, kids, and its great that you want to support your friend when he isn’t feeling his best.” He tapped his jaw with a finger. “I say,” he smiled, “That we all have a piece of cake and give Robbie some company for a little while. How does that sound?”

The children voiced their agreement and Stephanie helped Sportacus portion out cake on Robbie’s purple plates. Ziggy passed out the cake and purple forks and spoons. He gave Robbie the biggest slice of cake, much to Sportacus’s (and Stingy’s) chagrin.

Sportacus sat on the armrest of the orange recliner, his arm thrown over the back of the chair over Robbie’s head, and ate an apple. He listened to the children as they told Robbie about what happened yesterday, what they did today, and what they wanted to do later. He chuckled, and leaned down so Robbie could hear, “Thank you, Robbie.”

Robbie hid his face in his hand, although he swore if Stephanie was giggling at him that she would have a scheme or two coming her way, but he couldn’t help but to smile. If this was a dream it was a great dream.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope that this is romantic enough because I'm still not sure if it really, truly, qualifies as a slow burn. Like, I wrote them as really touchy but they touch a lot in the show...
> 
> Anyway, so, yeah. Thanks for reading.

**Author's Note:**

> I just wanted to write a thing where Sports dies. I decided to write a story around that. I'm sorry. I tried.


End file.
